Jamie Sanders, Director of the Department of Gender Affairs, discussed the fight against gender-based violence, noting that many males are also victims.
The two most difficult aspects of tackling gender-based violence, according to Sanders, are that it is a delicate topic that people ignore, as well as the misperception that only women are abused.
“Many males aren’t coming forward about being abused in relationships,” Sanders added.
He continues, “Yes, women are more vulnerable to relationship abuse, but many men are also harmed.”
“Many men are verbally abused by women, and occasionally, rather than walking away, the man is unable to handle his bottled-up rage, and this causes them to become a voice and even harmful,” he continued.
A total of 60 people have requested assistance from the Department of Gender Affairs. Women account for more than 90% of gender-based violence in Antigua.
He stated that ten percent of men are molested, which is a fairly high figure.
“Men coming out is not going to be easy for many men who feel ignored, and they feel neglected because they don’t know how to properly cope and process their feelings,” Sanders said.
“Many men are unable to articulate the things they want to see for their betterment,” he says, “and this is detrimental to their mental health and relationships.”
